Nonrigid frame mounting for lift type implements



A. V. RAUGHT Aug. 25, 1953 NONRIGID FRAME MOUNTING FOR LIFT TYPE IMPLEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1950 INVENTOR 'ARTl/UR ll. RAVGHT ATTOR/Vi) Aug. 25, 1953 A. v. RAUGHT NONRIGID FRAME MOUNTING FOR LIFT TYPE IMPLEMENTS Filed May 6. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RT/l0? V. PIN/6H7 ATTOQ/Vi) Patented Aug. 25 1953 NONRIGID FRAME MOUNTING FOR LIFT TYPE IMPLEMENTS Arthur V. Raught, Birmingham,Mich., assignor 120' Dearborn Motors Corporation, Highland Park, Mich.,a corporation of Delaware Application May 6, 1950, Serial No. 160,504

This invention relates to an improved implement frame for connecting a. lift type implement to a tractor.

Various farm implements, and particularly cultivators and planters for row crop work, are frequently of considerable width in order to operate on a plurality of rows with one pass of the tractor carrying the implement. Obviously, it is advantageous to utilize such a wide cultivator or planter because of the time saved and economy gained in cultivating or planting a plurality of rows in a single operation. In connection with the use of wide, lift type implements of known construction, several disadvantages have appeared. Due to the customary rigid mounting of the implement on the tractor, any slight variations in the ground contour which cause an up and down movement of the rear tractor wheels will therefore adversely affect the implement because such implement will tilt from side to side, thereby causing the ground working tools to dig deeply in the ground on one end while not touching t e ground on the opposite end.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved frame for a lift type implement which permits non-rigid mounting. on the tractor but does not interfere with the liftability of the implement.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the attached sheets of drawings on which, by way of preferred example only, is illustrated two embodiments of this invention.

On the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a cultivator embodying this invention mounted on the power lifted draft links of a tractor,

Figure 2 is a plan View of the improved cultivator.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken on the plane 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlargeddetail view taken along the plane 55 of Figure 2. r

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a modified bearing construction for the drawbar ends.

As shown on the drawings: p

As applied to a cultivator, the implement frame of this invention comprises two pairs of aligned, vertically spaced T-section bars lllandll arranged in transversely spaced, parallel relationship, as best shown in Figure 2, and held in such position by a plurality of channel shaped spacing 5 4 Claims. (01. 97-47.62)

responding faces of lug 22.

members l2 secured to the respective pairs of T-bars Ill and I! by bolts [3. A horizontal U- shaped frame l4 constructed of channel iron is secured centrally of the T-bars l0 and H by bolts E5 as shown in Figure 2. The bight portion I la of such U-shaped frame projects forwardly from the leading pair of T-bars l0, and upon the top surface of the bight portion I la there is provided an A-frame H5 comprising a pair of upwardly sloping strap members I6a bolted at transversely spaced points to such bight portion as at I61). Strap members Ifia are spaced apart'at their upper ends to receive a tractor top link I! which is pivotally connected to the upper ends of each strap member [6a by a transverse bolt I8. A pair of rearwardly and downwardly sloping braces l9 are respectively connected at their upper ends to strap members I611 by a transverse bolt 20. The lower ends of braces 19 are connected respectively to the arms of U-shaped frame l4 by transverse bolts 2i A pair of vertically disposed, transversely spaced lugs 22 are secured by welding to'the forwardly facing edge of the bight portion Ma of frame 14. A transverse, vertically elongated aperture 22a is provided in each forwardly facing lug 22 and apair of bearing members 23 are slidably mounted in each aperture 22a. Bearing members 23 are cylindrical disc-like members each having a radial flange 23a at one end. Bearing members 23 are respectively insertable in aperture 22a from opposite ends and are located with flanges 2311 respectively adjacent the cor- When the bearing members 23 are assembled in aperture 22a as shown in Figures 3 and l, the inserted ends of such members are in intimate contact, and such bearing members are free to slide vertically within aperture 22a.

The ends of a cylindrical drawbar 24 are mounted in bearing members 23 for supporting such drawbar transversely of lugs 22. A pair of axially spaced annular grooves 24a are provided near each end of drawbar 24 and are respectively adjacent the opposite faces of each bearing member 23 as shown in Figure 4. A snap ring 25 is insertable in each of the grooves 24a to secure bearing members 23 against displacement. Each end of drawbar 215 projecting beyondbearing 23 is of reduced diameter as shown at 24?) to receive the end of a conventional trailing draft link 26 provided on a tractor 9 as shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modified bearing construction for supporting the ends of thedrawbar in the vertically elongated aperture 23a provided in lugs 22. In this modification the bearing member 40 has a sleeve-like body portion 40a slidably insertable in slot 22a and is provided with a flange 40b of substantially larger diameter than the body portion 40a. Such flange abuts the inside face of lug 22 as shown in Figure 6. A drawbar ll having a reduced diameter end portion Ma is inserted within the axial bore 400 provided in bearing body portion 40a. The projecting end Ma of drawbar 4| projects beyond the outside face of bearing member 40. A transverse hole Mb is provided in drawbar 4| adjacent the flange 151) of bearing member 40 and a pin 42 is pressed into such hole to hold the flange 40b snugly against the inside face of lug 22. As flange la'ib abuts lug 22, such bearing member is secured against outward displacement through aperture 22a and pin 42 in drawbar M prevents axial displacement in theopposite direction. The reduced diameter end lia of drawbar 4| mounts the respective trailing tractor draft link 26 thereon as in the above described construction.

Tractor 5i a well-known type having a three link hitch arrangement comprising a top central link i'i' pivotaliy connected to an upstanding lug 9a provided on the axle housing 919 of such trac tor. Two draft links 26 are transversely spaced apart and are pivotally connected to axle housing 912 as at 90 and such draft links are vertically lifted by a pair of power actuated lift arms 8 re spectively connected to links 28 by rods l. Draft links are respectively removably secured to the reduced diameter end portions 24b of drawbar 2 3 by a linch pin 21 inserted in suitable transverse apertures in the ends of drawbar 24.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of earth working implements are mounted on the cultivator frame on both the leading T-bars it and the trailing T-bars i A plurality of sweeps 28 are supported in'depending relationship from bars ill on standards 29 while a plurality of disc hillers 36 are supported in depending relationship from T-bars i l by standards 3|.

Standards '29 and ii are each secured to the vertically spaced T-bars 56 or it by a clamping device 32, whichis described and claimed in the 'copending application of Robert L. Erwin, Serial No. 158,258, now abandonedfiled April 26, 1950 and assigned to the assignee of this application.

Such clamping device comprises a U-shaped clamp member 33 having arms 33a spaced apart as to permit the bight portion of such member to fit snuglybetween the vertically spaced T-bars l0 or H, as shown in Figure 5. Each end ofthe arms of the U-shaped member 323 is reversely bent as shown at 331) to surround the horizontal edge of T-bars it, as shown in Figure 5. A slot 330 is provided in each arm 33a of clamp member 33 and such slots are vertically aligned toadmit standards 29 and al. A segment shaped locking member having a plurality of transverse V -shaped serrations Sea on the arcuate edge thereof is likewise inserted in slots 330 with the chord-like surface contiguous to the edge of the standard and the serrated edge contact ng the rear edges of T-bars if A horizontally disposed screw 35-is screwed into a suitably threaded hole in the bight portion of clamping member 33 and such screw bears against the rear edge of stand be readily: andaquickly adjusted along the length of T-bars l0. Adjustment in angularity of stand ards 29 and 3| is readily obtainable by rotating such standards fore or aft to angularly reposition locking member 34 relative to T-bars I0. When the desired degree of angularity is obtained, screw 35 is tightened to effectively lock the standard in the desired position of adjustment.

To prevent excessive vertical movement of the ends of the cultivator frame, a stabilizing wheel 36 may be rotatably secured to one end of a standard 31 and such standard is secured to the extreme end of the T-bars It as shown in Figure 2. The same clamping means as described for mounting of standards 29 to T-bars it is utilized for securing standards 31 in vertical, depending relationship to T-bars ID.

It will thus appear from the foregoing description that there is here provided a liftable cultivator frame which is non-rigidly mounted on the trailing draft and lifting links of a tractor, so that the cultivator will be maintained relatively stable in operation, that is, without excessive end play regardless of the vertical displacement of the rear tractor wheels, thereby insuring a uniform tillage of the soil between the crop rows.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use with a tractor having a pair of transversely spaced vertically swingable power lifted draft links, an implement frame, a pair of transversely spaced mounting brackets on said frame, each of said brackets having a vertically disposed slot, a bearing member in each of said slots constructed and arranged for vertical movement in said slots, said bearing members each having a transverse bore, a drawbar insertable in said bores for mounting said drawbar transversely of said brackets, and means for respectively connecting the draft links to the ends of said drawbar.

2. In a tractor drawn implement having a frame, the improvement comprising a pair of transversely spaced brackets secured to the frame, each of said brackets having a vertical slot, a pair of bearing members insertable in each of said slots for limited vertical movement, each pair of said bearing members defining a transverse bore, means on said bearing members for removably securing each pair of said bearing members in said slots, a drawbar insertable in said transverse bores, means for securing said drawbar against transverse movement relative to said bearing members, and means on said drawbar adapted for connection to the tractor to receive the draft forces thereof.

3. A drawbar hitch for a tractor drawn implement having a frame comprising a pair of transversely spaced mounting lugs secured on the frame, each of said lugs having a vertical slot, a pair of identical sleeve-likebearing members insertable in each of said slots for vertical movement therein, each pair of said bearing members defining a transverse bore, a peripheral flange on each bearing member constructed'and arranged to lie adjacent a face of said lugs, a drawbar insertable in said transverse bores, means for sesaid bearing members are retained in said slots 5 and said drawbar is secured against lateral displacement, and means on said drawbar adapted for connection to the tractor to receive the draft forces thereof.

4. A self-levelling hitch for a lift type tractor carried implement having a frame, comprising a pair of transversely spaced vertical lugs on the frame, each of said lugs having a vertical slot, a flanged bushing member insertable in each of said slots for slidable vertical movement therein, each flange on said bushings being contiguous to one face of said lugs, a cylindrical drawbar mounted in said bushings and projecting laterally beyond said lugs, means on said drawbar for securing said drawbar and bushings against relative lateral displacement, and means on the ends of said drawbar adapted for connection to the tractor to receive the draft forces thereof.

ARTHUR V. RAUGHT.

Number Number 15 589,917

Name Date Towner Dec. 11, 1923 Abbe Apr. 9 ,1929 Dewey June 25, 1929 Ferguson Mar. 7, 1933 Ferguson July 4, 1933 Ferguson May 24, 1938 Silver Dec. 13, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 3, 1947 

